SB 89 Summary

• Establishes the California CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review (Cal-OAR) system by July 1, 2019, requiring counties to conduct self-assessments and develop system improvement plans to measure performance and foster continuous quality improvement in CalWORKs programs.

• Creates the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program providing one-time incentive awards of $500 for high school completion and $1,000 education stipends for enrollment in career technical education or degree programs (effective January 1, 2018).

• Makes the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program mandatory statewide, effective July 1, 2017, ensuring approved relative caregivers receive the same per-child monthly payment rate as licensed foster parents for ineligible children.

• Expands CalFresh eligibility by removing county opt-out authority from federal ABAWD waivers, allowing volunteer work to satisfy work requirements, and exempting homeless recipients from the three-month time limit.

• Establishes the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (effective January 1, 2018) to provide time-limited child care payments or vouchers to families with newly placed foster children, with support from child care navigators.